How to Work with Bloggers or Influencers To Increase Sales & Exposure!

When it comes to starting a hair business getting the word out can be difficult. Advocating for your business on your own just won’t cut it anymore. Many business owners have the brand and company together, but they don’t have the reach to attract customers.

You need someone to advocate for you. There is power in third-party marketing. Working with someone who has a substantial following on social media can help get your business out there.

Working with bloggers and influencers is a great way to get the word out about your business. Choosing to work with them helps give you access and exposure to audiences that you wouldn’t be able to reach on your own. The power of their social media presence can be impactful for your brand in reaching potential customers.

People don’t pay attention to billboards anymore; social media is where you should be. Social media serves as the modern-day billboard for brands. Thousands may see a billboard, but a social media campaign has the potential to reach millions.

There are no limitations when it comes to the internet and social media.

Your brand can do a campaign like this in collaboration with bloggers and influencers.

Influencers

Influencer marketing has grown increasingly popular, especially in 2017. The key word here is influence. What determines someone to be an influencer is their influence on their audience.

Influencers usually have such a significant influence on their audience through social media and various digital platforms. Their influence is so significant that they are able to influence their audience to buy which could result in sales for your business if you chose to work with one.

It is not uncommon to see a celebrity advocating or working with a brand on a campaign. Many large corporate brands have done campaigns with different types of celebrities from sports players to musical artists.

In 2017 influencers have become the new celebrity.

Many influencers have built a strong sense of community and connection with their followers. People love to buy from people they feel a connection to, and so they buy from influencers.

Influencer campaigns may not be the commercials that we are used to seeing celebrities do. Instead, they may do an Instagram post or a video. These serve are the commercials and brand campaigns of the digital era.

Ultimately due to their relatability, people trust influencers just as much as they do celebrities and they are willing to buy from the brands they advocate.

Micro, Macro, and Mega Influencers

What usually signifies an influencer is their large following via social media.

There are three categories of influencers, micro, macro and mega influencers. Micro influencers have a following of 10k-100k (some may argue up to 30k or up to 50k). Macro Influencers have an audience from 100k up to 500k, and mega influencers have followings from up to 500k up to millions.

Usually the more followers an influencer has, the more they may charge. When looking for an influencer to work with your hair brand, it is not all about following necessarily. One of the main things you should be looking for is engagement. Engagement is critical because it shows how many of their followers are really into them.

Some micro influencers may have a following of 10k but garner an average of 1,000 likes per post. An influencer with 100k may garner the same 1,000 likes per post as well. Who is more powerful? I would say the influencer with 10k because they can get 10% of their followers to engage while the 100k influencer is only getting 1% of their follower’s engagement. The situation may not always be identical to this, but sometimes it does happen.

Another thing you want to focus on when working with an influencer is their niche, what type of people follow them and what sphere do they influence? It is not just enough to work with anyone who is an influencer. Doing so can also cause people not to trust your brand. Work with an influencer who is relatable, trustable and has influence in the same topic as your business is the best way to go.

If your brand is hair working with someone who has a large following but in the area of food may not be your best bet. You want to work with someone who is known and followed for hair. Even hair itself is a broad topic, from natural hair to virgin hair. If you want to get even more specific find those of influence within the specific niche your hair business serves.

Bloggers

Although bloggers and influencers may do similar things, there are slight differences between the two.

Many bloggers are influencers, but not all influencers are bloggers. I know that may be a little confusing so let me explain what a blogger is. A blogger is someone who has a blog. To be considered a blogger one must have a blog. That is the sole criteria for being a blogger while being an influencer is more based on the following. Working with someone who is both a blogger and influencer can allow you to come up with a variety of ideas.

As opposed to influencers bloggers usually understand quality content and content creation. Many bloggers create editorial like campaigns that can attract their audience to your brand. The good thing about this is you can repost this content on your page.

When looking for a blogger to work with engagement and niche is important as well. Content is something else that you want to look at when working with a blogger. Make sure they are posting consistent quality content on their blog and that their blog is up to date. Due to the booming user rate of Instagram many bloggers don’t post as frequently on their blogs anymore so you may want to do a social media campaign with a blogger instead of asking them to post on their actual blog.

Blogs vs. Youtube

Most consider bloggers use website platforms such as WordPress, Squarespace, Blogger, etc. to document content and articles. There is a new wave of bloggers that have emerged. Video bloggers can also be considered bloggers. Instead of documenting through website platforms they document through video content.

Video content is powerful especially when posted on Youtube. Youtube is the second largest search engine after Google and let’s be honest everyone is always searching for hair. Hair videos do exceptionally well on Youtube garnering millions of views. These views can translate to sales for your business.

Video bloggers can do video reviews or hair tutorials incorporating your hair and showing it to their followers. Imagine if 50,000 people watch that video? Imagine what that could result when it comes to sales! You can even have them post it on their Instagram as well!

Video content is compelling because it is proven that it garners a high amount of trust. Also, everyone is not a reader some people need a video to convince them of your product. Video bloggers create commercial-like videos that can make your brand look good.

Tips on Working with Bloggers and Influencers

Working with influencers can seem intimidating but with some practice and research, you’ll get the hang of it. Here are some tips on working with bloggers and influencers.

Ask them to post your brand/product on Insta-stories using the swipe up feature to direct their followers directly to where they can purchase.

Get them to post your hair while doing everyday things like going out or hanging out with friends to make the post relatable

Don’t just ask for one post see if you can get a series of posts

Make sure they tag you in the photo and on the caption

Give them a code that they can offer to their followers for a special discount

Collaborate with bloggers and influencers on their own product through your brand where they can get a percentage of sales without having to do much of the work.

Network with them in person. Going to events where you will meet bloggers and influencers is a great way to start building relationships that in the future could become business. This will also give you an idea of their personality and if you want to work with them.

If they have a Youtube channel see if their video content would align better with your brand.

Ask them to do a package where they post on all of their platforms. This way you can maximize your reach by marketing to their audiences across all platforms.

Make sure that the collaboration fits both of your brands and you guys both like it. The blogger and influencer is a brand as well, and they know what their audience will respond to. Ask them for their thoughts and ideas on a collaboration.

Do A Giveaway

Doing a giveaway is a great way to not only raise awareness but to give back. Many bloggers and influencers are looking for brands to collaborate with on giveaways for the holiday season. Try partnering with on a campaign where their followers must follow both of you. Check out our post on “How to Brand Your Way to Instagram Success” for more on tips conducting giveaways.

Have A Call To Action

It is not just enough for them to post for their followers to see. They need to post for their followers to take action! Have them ask their audience to check you out or like a post on your page, get creative!

Negotiating with Bloggers and Influencers

Negotiating with blogger and influencers can be a bit tricky since it technically is a new market. Some may be willing to work with you for free while others may charge anywhere from $300 to $5000 and up for a post. At the end of the day, it comes down to what your business can afford and who are you willing to invest in? Bigger companies now have budgets to work with bloggers and influencers whereas small business owners may not.

A great way to work with a blogger or influencer for free is to send them your product as a gift. This is known as product placement. Product placement is a great way to get your brand into the hands of influencers for free. If your product is of interest to the influencer they may be willing to post the product for free. It may not be a full detailed campaign or post dedicated to your product, but they may show it on their story or wear your hair in their next bomb fashion post.

Creative Campaign Ideas

When it comes to your campaign idea think outside of the box yet also think traditional. Insta Story is a great place to host a campaign. Many bloggers and influencers have the swipe up feature. This means that they can post or talk about your product directly on their story and tell their followers to swipe up to shop. This is a fast and easy way to get their followers instantly to your product. It is easy for both you and the influencer so they may not charge you a lot for that.

Have A Meet Up

Instagram is not the only place where people want to see their favorite bloggers and influencers. They want to meet them in person! Having an event and inviting them can be a great way to get a crowd to come to your event and learn about your brand thus building brand awareness.

Blogger/Influencer Brunch

You can also host a more exclusive blogger or influencer brunch inviting them and telling them about your brand so they can become more aware. This can be a VIP event where you make them feel special, and you can even gift them with your products. They may post on their social platforms while being at your event which can help build brand awareness. Imagine having a dozen big-time influencers in your niche at your event and making them feel special? Imagine what this can do for your business.

Although it may be pricey, it could still be cheaper than paying each of them to do a collaboration/campaign. To cut down on costs see if you can partner with a local restaurant and another brand such as a beauty brand that also needs exposure.

Working with bloggers and influencers can seem intimidating, but it can be done. Even if your business is small chances are you can still get a blogger or influencer who believes in your brand to work with you.

What has been your experience reaching out to bloggers and influencers? Let us know in the comments and share your tips with us as well.

About Fennella Miller

Fennella Like Whoa is a Sierra Leonean American model, blogger and creative entrepreneur based in Atlanta Georgia. She graduated from Spelman College and currently creates creative digital media content in the areas of fashion and hair. [email protected]

20 thoughts on “How to Work with Bloggers or Influencers To Increase Sales & Exposure!”

This article truly come in handy! I have been lost on how to find Beauty influencers for weeks now, racking my brain looking for information only to be lost and was losing hope. Then I find this! OMG, the value this article brings is phenomenal! VERY VERY Helpful. Now I know where to go, who to look for and how to get started with finding my influencer & blogger for my hair business. This article is a must-read for anyone truly serious about taking the business to the next level, especially for branding your business and building your audience! Which return you will upscale your company. That’s what I’m exactly looking for. So glad I read this article.

I feel this comment so much! I am so happy that this was helpful for you! Check out or podcast “Hair Biz Radio” . We have an episode that covers influencer marketing as well! http://www.hairbizradio.com/

Wow!! This article keeps you wanting more. Very thorough and informative. I myself have been doing all sorts of research (which I’m sure many do) before investing in and stepping foot into the wonderful world of hair. Understanding how to advertise, and who/what influences hair and beauty have in the world is a must. Learning and reading, taking notes and following PLE has me confident in all that I’m doing to prepare myself for this journey. Thanks, PLE googling these types of things can be quite confusing but the breakdown and impact along with the opportunity being provided here is EVERYTHING !!!

This is a very helpful article for those who are looking to promote a brand. The “Do a Giveaway” tip is a great way to collab with an influencer and drives traffic to your website. In addition to this article, I found the podcast on Influencer Marketing for your Hair Business extremely informative as well (episode 3).

This blog is a life saver! Is it possible to write a blog about affiliate programs to team with hairstylists? Also, does PLE offer any consultant services or has someone on hand to speak with about their hair business?

It’s amazing how this article kept my attention the entire read! No bad critiques here I enjoyed the useful information as a new business owner and will you this toward a positive pathway for the year 2018. Private Label articles and videos truly provide support and information you need to become a successful business owner. Subscribe you won’t be disappointed.

When I first started my business I wanted to do this but I started smaller by doing a giveaway for high school seniors getting ready for prom. Although they weren’t beauty bloggers they did what I needed and got the word out just as fast.

Wow, this was very informative! I’m so Excited and grateful I found Private Label Extensions because certain situations require experience and help to keep a new small business owner like myself afloat and save me tons of money on these tricks and trades! I’ll be teaming up with some beauticians, blogger but ONLY if they believe in my brand.

I’ve been researching on what route I should go when trying to find different marketing opportunities for my brand. The way you broke down the influencers and the engagement and how the following base does make an impact but not if the likes aren’t matching the “following base” makes so much sense! This is some very good information and this is definitely something that I can and I WILL use for my business!

I think it’s also important to know who you’re trying to target or who your audience is so you can pinpoint who also influences the same audience you want to target. Everyone isn’t your target or customer. Knowing who you need to market to is a big part of growing your brand and engaging with them. Partnering with those who influence and post amazing creative content is awesome. More importantly, if they are keeping your audience engaged is a big plus too because you can mimic what those influencers are doing. Man, I love this blog. Great post.

I have a great influencer in mind to try my hair. She’s difficult to reach. I’m also planning a give away soon. I can’t wait!! My only concern is I what if I don’t reach enough people? I would love to do blogs but I do not have the time. My old website used to do those things for me. This year I decided to create my own website so that it could be more unique. I should really look into this more.

This article says Chevyree keep going you can’t give up now!! All you have to do is build the right team and there is no way that you can lose! Instead of paying for promotions influences and bloggers are great selling tools. When you find a good one your business will grow on its on

This has to be one of the best articles that I have read. Yes, most new businesses would like top influencers to review their products and expect thousands of sales in return. In reality, it does not work that way! New small businesses need to search for influencers whose brand aligns with your company’s brand. Sometimes starting with a micro influencer may be the best decision for your business in terms of growth and exposure! Slow and steady wins the race!!